Veronica Brandt holds a Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering. As editor, she has produced fine publications (as well as valuable reprints) dealing with Gregorian chant, hymnody, Latin, and other subjects. These publications are distinguished on account of their tastefulness. She lives in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her husband Peter and five children.

“The Church, no doubt, has always kept, and wishes still to maintain everywhere, the language of her Liturgy; and, before the sad and violent changes of the sixteenth century, this eloquent and effective symbol of unity of faith and communion of the faithful was, as you know, cherished in England not less than elsewhere. But this has never been regarded by the Holy See as incompatible with the use of popular hymns in the language of each country. Such hymns, moreover, are useful to familiarize the people with the great truths of faith, and to keep alive their devotion.”
— LEO XIII, POPE (8 June 1898)

A pastoral letter from the Bishop of Parramatta for Corpus Christi 2014
HE FEASTDAYSARE FLYING thick and fast. Today is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and here I am writing about Corpus Christi which seems so long ago.

There is a link between the two, as we see in the Divine Office taking us back to the office hymn tune for Christmas, drawing the parallel between adoring Jesus in the arms of His Blessed Mother and Jesus in the hands of the priest.

Last Sunday, however, I had the pleasure of reading the pastoral letter: This Wonderful Sacrament by Bishop Anthony Fisher OP of Paramatta.

A few things stand out:

The opening story – read it – child-like faith in the True Presence

Preparation before communion – including confession and the hour’s fast

Kneeling – defended with an example from C S Lewis’ Screwtape Letters

Encouraging adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during the day and early evening

In the written version we see the subheadings taken from liturgical Latin, the hymn O sacrum convivium and the prayers at Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. No direct mention of sacred music, but the emphasis on reverence is there.

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